Search Results for: angela

While we were in La Romana last week, we met a very delightful young woman. She was in her early twenties. Our path crossed hers several times during the week. Those encounters came to a sharp focus the night before we left for home.

Our mission teams work hard all day. Returning to a Mission House or hotel is the opportunity I have to post pictures, blog posts, and videos about our mission activities. The first two days in La Romana there was a weak, but steady, wifi signal in our room. I worked from there each of those evenings.

The third night the wifi signal just wasn’t coming through. I had to go to the hotel lobby to get a consistent signal. It was there I met Angela. She works the front desk in the evenings.

The next night was the same thing. Again I was around Angela. She is an outgoing personality. Many people came through the lobby each evening. Angela and I were the ones that remained (at least until I got through with my work!). Idle chit-chat revealed a little to her about our work. She already knew we worked with Marcos because she knew him and knew he had made our hotel reservations.

The fifth night of our trip was the third night I ‘had to go‘ to the lobby to work. Yes, I was a bit frustrated. It was so much more convenient to work from the room but I was not able to do that. I didn’t know a larger plan was in play!

When we returned to the hotel on Friday night we passed Angela, said ‘Hello,’ went straight to our rooms to pack. As soon as I got there I knew I had to go back and talk to Angela. My roomie, Pastor Jodie, went with me. We talked with Angela about having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. It seems ‘having to go‘ to the lobby was about something much more important than my comfort. Go figure!

She was very receptive and open. She knew what it meant to have that kind of relationship. She freely admitted that was not true of her. She was almost persuaded to accept the Lord’s gift of forgiveness. Almost persuaded. So sad.

Still, there is hope and we have an opportunity. I told Angela we would be praying for her. This post is a request for you to join us in praying for Angela. We are due back in La Romana in September. It would be awesome to report to you from there that Angela is a member of God’s faith family! I am looking forward (prayerfully) to being able to do that. Will you join me?

Soli Deo Gloria!

The post you read on Friday was written on Thursday. In it, I asked your prayers for Angela and our last day of work in La Romana. You were faithful in your prayers and the Lord was faithful to answer.

On Friday we held the medical clinic in a church led by Pastor Elias. He has been part of the La Romana pastor’s school since its beginning. The clinic was a great outreach tool for his neighborhood. It was also a great evangelism training tool for him and leaders in his church. People came to faith in Christ during the clinic. That would have been cause enough to celebrate and kick back, but there were more prayers to answer.

The clinic ran long but we still had a little time to see some of La Romana and shop for souvenirs before heading home on Saturday. While we were together I had opportunity to share the Gospel with our van driver. He had been with us all week, watched us work, saw us laugh together, and saw how we treated him and each other. All of that played a part in him giving his life to Christ.

When we returned to the hotel after dinner, we had our final debrief. The last thing we did was offer our prayers for Angela. As I walked to my room I found Angela at the front desk. She is a delightful young lady with a contagious smile. The conversation we all prayed for took place across the front desk of the hotel. She is now my sister in Christ. I couldn’t ask for your prayers without letting you know how our Father answered.

As awesome as it was to see the power of prayer in La Romana, the need continues. We will be back in La Romana but not until late Spring 2015. In three weeks we will be in Belize and your prayers are needed for some great mission volunteers and the work they will do.

Soli Deo Gloria!

A few months ago I asked you to pray for Angela. I would love to add her evangelism story to the ones below. We just might be able to do that before we leave. Please continue to pray!

Evangelism is often about divine appointments. Yesterday, in batey Anone, a man came into the clinic. He was in no particular need of medical care. After he saw Doc, he was escorted to our Gospel teams. He told them he had always tried to be a good person and knew he should be good. But he also knew something was missing in his life and he couldn’t be good enough to make the ache in his heart go away. He said he came hoping someone could tell him how to know God personally. The Spirit had done the evangelism work and we were blessed to see this man come to faith!

A woman came for medical care. She seemed dour and dark. After she received medical care she came to the Gospel team. She said she understood the need for salvation. She also believed she could not be saved. She was involved with magic and voodoo. After some pretty intense prayer, she was a child of God. The difference in her countenance and demeanor was unbelievable! But her story gets better.

A few minutes later her husband saw the doctor. When he heard the offer of forgiveness he also gave his life to Christ. A home was saved in batey Anone yesterday! God is good.

A young man who translated for our medical work give his life to Christ. He was also what we might call ‘low-hanging fruit.’ He was one of the people who didn’t find the church attractive. He had not wanted to accept Christ because of the church. In God’s way of arranging evangelism appointments, he allowed this young man to meet our team of mission volunteers. Those relationships and conversations were the final things God used to draw this young man to salvation.

The fifth story could be anyone of the 25+ people that have found the Lord this week in La Romana. I’d like to count you as the fifth success story. Your prayers have been so evident here this week. It is not possible to thank you enough for that. Please keep praying, and please pray for Angela.